Sobel appointed to fifth seat on Santa Paula City Council

Andy Sobel, the fourth-place vote-getter in November's election, was appointed to fill the empty seat on the Santa Paula City Council.(Photo: JUAN CARLO/THE STAR)

The Santa Paula City Council has appointed Andy Sobel, the fourth-place vote-getter in November’s election, to fill a vacant seat on the dais.

Sobel, a software consultant with a background in teaching and community organizing, will serve out the remaining two-year term of former Councilman Martin Hernandez, who left prematurely in July. The seat had been filled temporarily by former Santa Paula Fire Chief Rick Araiza, but became vacant again after Araiza won a four-year term in the November election.

At a special meeting Monday, the council debated whether to appoint Sobel or Santa Paula Chamber of Commerce Executive Director John Marquez to the vacant seat. Both men were finalists in the application process that resulted in the council selecting Araiza for the position in September.

Sobel, but not Marquez, went on to run for a council seat in November. He garnered almost 16 percent of the vote, with 2,651 people casting ballots in his favor, but came in behind Rick Araiza, Jenny Crosswhite and Carlos Juarez.

At Monday’s council meeting, members of the public sparred over which man they favored for the position. Some argued that Sobel was the natural choice because he’d won fourth-place support from the voters and has served as the Measure T Oversight Committee chair.

“Unlike Mr. Marquez, (Sobel) ran a campaign. He went out, walked the precincts, solicited input from the community,” said Lorenzo Moraza, president of the Santa Paula Latino Town Hall. “I think that we need to do what the community is asking us to do, and that is select the person who gained the confidence of the community (demonstrated by) the 2,600 votes.”

Others praised Marquez’s standing as an active volunteer, Rotary Club member and liaison to the business community. Those supporters said he would make a great councilman.

“You can always look upon John and count that he is going to do the right thing and follow through on whatever is asked of him,” said former Planning Commissioner Gary Nasalroad.

The three-hour discussion was filled with tension and suspense as council members appeared to reach an impasse before finally agreeing in a revote to appoint Sobel. Mayor Clint Garman and Araiza initially voted in favor of appointing Marquez, while Crosswhite and Juarez voted for Sobel. Araiza argued that the election was for three people, not four, and that many people had effectively chosen not to vote for Sobel by only selecting a couple of names on the ballot.

In expressing his support for Marquez, the former fire chief spoke of the chamber head’s family history in town and work in business.

“The historical data that I have in my mind and know from the history of being in town is sometimes far more important than a newcomer that has to come in and find that out,” Araiza said. “How one works within the community, within the business realm, which is important to the survival of our city, those to me outweigh and (are) the most important things.”

But Crosswhite challenged Araiza’s interpretation of the voting results and said she believed Sobel — who was born in Mexico City — would bring a new and needed perspective to the council.

“Mr. Sobel brings qualities that are different than what some of the rest of us have. I think we have two members of Rotary that are on the council currently. ... We have two business owners,” she said. “I think that Andy brings a different perspective than from where the rest of us sit.”

Finally, in a second vote on the appointment, the council agreed 4-0 to appoint Sobel.

“To all of you that are here tonight, almost 10 o’clock, thank you. Those who are still watching, thank you,” Sobel said, after taking the oath of office. “I hope to be a great public servant.”